Natural Resources Support at Joint Base Species Management McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (U.S. Air Force) Bog Turtle (PTFL180413) and Pine Snake, Corn Snake, Timber Rattlesnake Species Management (PTFL18NR04) Annual Report David W. Schneider, Robert T. Zappalorti, David Burkett, December 2019 Ryan Fitzgerald, Wade A. Ryberg, Mathew Kramm and Roel R. Lopez Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute Distribution authorized to U.S. Government Agencies only. Species Management ii Natural Resources Support at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (U.S. Air Force) Bog Turtle (PTFL180413) and Pine Snake, Corn Snake, Timber Rattlesnake Species Management (PTFL18NR04) Annual Report David W. Schneider, Robert T. Zappalorti, David Burkett and Ryan Fitzgerald Herpetological Associates, Inc. 405 Magnolia Road Pemberton, NJ 08068 Phone: 732-833-8600 Wade A. Ryberg, Mathew Kramm and Roel R. Lopez Texas A&M University Natural Resources Institute 578 John Kimbrough Blvd. 2260 TAMU College Station, TX 77840-2260 Phone: 979-845-1851 Annual Report Distribution authorized to U.S. Government Agencies only. Species Management iii Table of Contents Executive Summary…………………………………………………….iv Contact Information……………………………………………………..v Introduction……………………………………………………………….1 Materials and Methods………………………………………………….5 Results of the Invesitigation………………………………………….10 Summary…………………………………………………………………71 Literature Cited………………………………………………………….73 Species Management iv Executive Summary This report describes 2018-19 survey results for bog turtles, northern pine snakes, corn snakes, and timber rattlesnakes on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (U.S. Air Force; JB MDL). Where appropriate, captured snakes were monitored using telemetry methods over their entire activity season to characterize summer habitat use, determine their home range size, and to locate critical winter den sites. Below we summarize the major findings of this species management project. Wetland surveys did not reveal any habitat on JB MDL for the federally threatened bog turtle. A total of 16 northern pine snakes and 6 corn snakes were captured or observed during visual surveys over 69 days between June 6 and November 1, 2018. A total of 25 northern pine snakes and 10 corn snakes were captured or observed during visual surveys over 87 days between May 1 and October 1, 2019. No timber rattlesnakes were detected during surveys on JB MDL in 2018-19. No threatened or endangered snake species were captured in 3 drift fence trap arrays in 2018. Six additional drift fence trap arrays were installed in 2019. That same year the 9 arrays captured 5 northern pine snakes and 1 eastern kingsnake, which was new to the study. The eastern kingsnake is listed as a species of special concern in New Jersey. Radio-telemetry was used to characterize summer habitat use, home range size, and winter den sites for 3 pine snakes and 2 corn snakes throughout their activity season in 2018. Those individual snakes were tracked again in 2019, although one male corn snake experienced transmitter failure and a male pine snake was lost to predation. Detailed results from this telemetry monitoring are located on pages 42-52. In 2019, an additional 7 pine snakes and 3 corn snakes were implanted with transmitters and tracked throughout the field season. One female pine snake was lost to predation. Detailed results from this telemetry monitoring are located on pages 53-70. A total of 9 northern pine snakes and 3 corn snakes are currently being tracked on JB MDL. Telemetry monitoring of these individuals will continue through August 2020. 2019 Important Habitats and Future Management of Northern Pine Snake, Corn Snake and Timber Rattlesnakes at Joint Base – McGuire, Dix, Lakehurst, New Jersey Prepared by: David W. Schneider, Robert T. Zappalorti, David Burkett and Ryan Fitzgerald Herpetological Associates, Inc., 405 Magnolia Road, Pemberton, New Jersey 08068 12/1/2019 Important Habitats and Future Management of Corn Snake, Pine Snakes and Timber Rattlesnakes at JB MDL INTRODUCTION Herpetological Associates, Inc. (hereafter HA) was retained by Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute as their sub-consultant to conduct intensive habitat evaluations to identify suitable areas for the northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus - state-listed threatened), red corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus - state-listed endangered) and timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus - state-listed endangered), on an approximate 6,000-acre study area within the larger Joint Base, McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (hereafter JB MDL). This joint base military complex is located in Ocean and Burlington Counties, New Jersey (Figures 1 and 2). The goal of HA’s investigation was to provide baseline information regarding the status of these state-listed species on JB MDL to the Department of Defense in preparation of an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP). The INRMP will be used as a guideline for possibly avoiding potential impacts from the development of new and improved training facilities, improvements of firing ranges, and other upgraded military training facilities. Some of these actions may infringe upon the important habitat of these state-listed snake species. The results presented in this report are the preliminary findings from visual random searching efforts, drift fence trapping surveys and radio-telemetry studies conducted between May 24 and November 1, 2018 and May 1 and November 1, 2019 on JB MDL. HA is an environmental consulting company that specializes in endangered, threatened, and rare (ETR) plant and wildlife species, with particular emphasis on herpetology. HA has 42-years of experience working with rare plants, birds, reptiles and amphibians and has studied them extensively in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida. The results of some of HA’s research has been published in scientific journals and are available at HerpetologicalAssociates.com. All survey methods used are proven methods, used by researchers in various parts of the country for wildlife sampling. HA’s survey methods for endangered and threatened wildlife have been used successfully in the past and have been accepted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the New Jersey Pinelands Commission (NJPC). BACKGROUND INFORMATION After all contract negotiations were completed, a kick-off phone conference was held on May 23, 2018, with representatives from Texas A&M, the Army Corps of Engineers, JB MDL and key HA staff members. Roel Lopez of Texas A&M Natural Resource Institute (NRI) conducted an online Power Point presentation. The various topics presented and discussed were aspects of the project overview, general herpetological methods to be employed, HA’s study plan, the time-line of field work, and the project deliverables. The phone conference set the stage for the planning and methods to be employed during this investigation. In March 2019, because of the lack of suitable bog turtle habitat on JB MDL, the contract was amended to shift the funds allocated for bog turtle surveys to additional snake surveys. This would increase the trapping effort from 3 drift fences to 6 and double the radio-tracking effort from 6 snakes to 12. In addition, in April, 2019, a new contract was awarded to extend the study to August, 2020 and increase the trapping effort to 9 drift fences and the radio-tracking to 16 snakes. Herpetological Associates, Inc. 1 Important Habitats and Future Management of Corn Snake, Pine Snakes and Timber Rattlesnakes at JB MDL Herpetological Associates, Inc. 2 Important Habitats and Future Management of Corn Snake, Pine Snakes and Timber Rattlesnakes at JB MDL Herpetological Associates, Inc. 3 Important Habitats and Future Management of Corn Snake, Pine Snakes and Timber Rattlesnakes at JB MDL OUTLINE OF THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SNAKE SURVEYS T&E Snake Survey Objectives The 2018 portion of the investigation was focused on the following tasks: Through the use of three, approximately 3-hundred foot drift fences in conjunction with intensive visual survey efforts to capture snakes for a mark, release and recapture study, as well as an intensive radio-tracking study. Identification and documentation of any potential critical habitat such as hibernacula (winter dens) and nesting areas (pine snakes). An intensive search for gravid female pine snakes and/or their nesting areas. The mapping of all initial snake capture locations, nesting locations and hibernacula via GPS/GIS and the marking of all target snakes (pine, corn, timber rattlesnake) with micro-chip PIT Tags. The photo-documentation of all target species and critical habitat features via digital camera. The surgical implantation of 3 adult northern pine snakes and 3 adult corn snakes (preferably 1 - 2 miles apart from each other) with radio-transmitters and monitor them throughout the 2018 and 2019 active seasons. Although permission was requested by HA, the NJDEP does not allow the radio-tracking of endangered snakes to identify the impacts of development on such species. HA was granted permission to radio-track corn snakes on JB MDL because they were added to an existing conservation based survey HA is conducting on Pine Barrens corn snakes. Based on a request from John Joyce (he has a lot of information from previous pine snake surveys conducted at the Lakehurst section of JB MDL), no pine snakes were radio-tracked from the Lakehurst section of JB MDL. Submission of monthly progress reports via e-mail. The preparation of a final